By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team went 2-0 on Saturday's final day of the Midwest College Classic in Shawnee, taking a 5-1 win over Southwest Baptist and a 6-5 win over Minnesota State.
Pitcher Jenna Sprague picked up the save in both Washburn wins on Saturday as the Ichabods improved to 21-4 on the season. [File photo/TSN]
With the two wins and a 4-1 record on the weekend Washburn improved to 21-4 on the season and will return to action with four games at the Grand Slam Classic in Branson, Mo. Friday and Saturday.
The Ichabods topped former MIAA foe Southwest Baptist in their first game on Saturday, winning their eighth game in a row over the Bearcats.
Washburn struck early and never trailed, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Makenzie Sais ignited the offense with a single, stole second, and scored on Taylor Brees' run-scoring single to center. Brees later came home on Dalaney Anderson run-scoring single to left, giving the Ichabods a 2-0 advantage.
After SBU trimmed its deficit to 2-1 in the third, Washburn responded with a big fourth inning putting some distance between the two schools.
Following a leadoff error, pinch runner Ashlyn Gaughan moved into scoring position before Aspen Burgardt delivered the biggest swing of the game -- a two-run home run to left field to extend the Washburn lead to 4-1.
The Ichabods added an insurance run in the fifth when Maddie McGee singled up the middle and later scored when Sais ripped a double down the leftfield line, pushing the margin to 5-1.
Sais paced Washburn's eight-hit attack, going 2 for 3 with a double, RBI, run scored and a stolen base. Brees also collected two hits and drove in a run, while Anderson finished 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Sadie Walker earned the pitching win to improve to 10-2, tossing 6.2 innings while allowing just one run on nine hits with seven strikeouts. Jenna Sprague closed the door, striking out the only batter she faced to record her second save of the season.
Washburn jumped on Minnesota State immediately, scoring four times in the opening inning.
Sais led off with a single, stole second and third, and scored on Anderson's groundout to short.
Brees walked and later scored when Madi Moore doubled into the left-center gap.
Kierra Coos followed with a two-run homer to right center, giving the Ichabods a 4–0 advantage.
Minnesota State answered with a run in the second on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, then added two more in the third when a single to left center brought in a pair, trimming Washburn's lead to 4-3.
In the fifth Burgardt lifted a sacrifice fly to score Brees, and in the sixth, Danielle Schlager added another sac fly, scoring Kate Ediger to make it 6–3.
Minnesota State mounted a push in the sixth, scoring twice on an RBI single and an infield error that allowed another score, cutting the margin to 6-5.
Washburn turned to Sprague, who entered in the circle with runners on base and kept the Mavericks from tying the game.
She worked the final 1.2 innings without allowing a run, earning her second save of the day.
Washburn's pitching trio combined to allow just three earned runs. Goos worked the first three innings, Jalin Lavers earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings and Sprague closed it out.
Offensively, Sais collected two hits and two steals, Brees reached three times and scored twice, Moore doubled in a run, and Goos supplied a two run home run.
